Golden



D. GOLDEN March 4, 1958 STORAGE DEVICE FOR. THE CONTROL BARS OF BUSINESS MACHINES Filed Dec. 31, 1953 I INVENTOR.

DAVID GOLDEN ATTORNEY STORAGE DEVICE FOR THE CONTROL BARS OF BUSINESS MACHINES David Golden, Long Beach, N. Y. Application December 31, 1953, SerialNo. 401,646 2 Claims. (Cl. 20616)- The present invention relates to a storage means for usein connection with business machines, more particularlybusiness machines such as accounting machines;

The operation of accounting machines and similar business'machines involves the use of several exchangeable control bars as such business machines are generally designed as multiple duty machines. For instance, an

accounting machine should be equipped to post a variety of different sets of accounting data such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, sales statistics etc. Each of the aforesaid sets of accounting data requires a specific and different setting of the control-elements of the control bar. Accordingly, a corresponding number of appropriately set control bars must be held in readiness of which only one is used at one time.

Control bars as used in modern accounting and similar machines are heavy, unwieldy and delicate. In particular, the-control elements of the bar which activate the respective control circuits in the machine, must be carefully protected from impact.

The usual practice of the. machine'operator is to store the control bars that are temporarily not inuse in a drawerof the desk for the machine, to place them on a nearby desk or to suspend themfrom hooks provided for 'this'purpose; in other words to store the control bars in whatever space is-available. Obviously, such a haphazard storage of-the control bars is highly undesirable.

The bars are expensive, and damage to a bar is costly not only on account of repair costs but also of loss of time of the machine operator. Furthermore, a haphazard storage of the bars entails lossof timein locating the bar needed for a certain operation.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to'provide a novelbex in which the control bars required for the operation of a business machine of the general type above referred to, can be conveniently stored and in which they are protected from damage.

Another object of the present invention is to-provide 'a novel box in which the control bars are located in positions such that the more sensitive components of each bar, in particular'the control elements thereof, do

"not touch any of the Walls of the box or any other bar.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel box including retaining means in which the bar can be readily inserted and which removably retain the bars in definite positions relative to each other and the walls of the box.

Afurther object of the present invention is to provide a novel box in which ali-the bars are rcmovably'held in positions such that the data strip of each bar identifying the specific operation for which the control elements of the bar are set, is conveniently visible. This afiords the advantage that the operator With one glance can locate the bar needed for the desired operation.

Yet'another object of theinvention is to provide a box having a configuration and size such that the box can be conveniently placed upon the casing housing the mechanism of the machine in connection with which the bars'are used. As a result, the bars can be placed within the convenient reach of the machine operator.

1 United States Patent 6 'box 'adjacentto 'the short *Sids therein. The ledges ntay Another "objecfof'the' invention, allied with the next preceding one, is'to providefasteningimeans-fordetach ably, clamping the box to'the"casing'ofthemachine.

Other and furtherfobjects,"featuresand advantages of the invention will 'b'eipointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended 'claims'iforming part ofthe application.

In the accompanyin'g'drawinga now-preferred embodiment of the-invention is shown by wayof illustration and nofbyway' of limitation;

Fig. 1 is an iso'metri'c view ofa storagebox according to the invention mountedo'n an accounting machine shown in Fig. l in phantom shouldhe visualized as' an accounting machine of conventional design or a similar business machine involving the use of several control bars 11 in connection with the various operations to be performed by the machine. The control'bar should also be visualized as being of a conventional design. It suffices to state that the control bars have at each end a flange 11 by means-of which the bars are fitted in the machine, and thateach bar on the side facing the operator is generally providedwith a strip 12 bearing data identifying the specific operation for which the control elements of the respective bar are set. All the bars of a machine are identical, except as to the setting of the control elements.

As appears from Fig. l, the casing of the machine is rearwardly extended'to provide space for the operating mechanism of the machine. This rearward extension forms a platform 10' which may be used to support the storage box according to the invention which will now be described in detail.

The storage box generally designated by 13 is shown as .a substantially rectangular boxhaving a bottom part 14 and a cover 15 hinged to the bottom. The cover may be latched to the bottom by alock-16 of a design known for such purpose. A handle or grip. may be provided to facilitate carrying of the closed box. I

The length of the box is approximately equal to the overall length of the bars, the width of the box depends upon the number of control bars for which it is designed. In extreme cases, the box may have a width equ'al to or greater thanthe length of the box. The height of the I box is so selected that the side ofan inserted bar facing the cover is very closely adjacent thereto or even in contact therewith topreven't appreciable 'up anddown 'movements of'the'b'ars when" the box is carried.

There are provided at the opposite short ends of the bottom 14two sets of'retaining or'clamping means generally designated by 17 and 18 respectively. The'two sets of clamping means coact with 'each other and are generally so designed that they are capable of yieldably retaining the desired number of control ba'r's'in' positions fixedrelative to eachother and to the walls of the box. For this purpose, each clamping means comprisesa plurality of'clamping members and each clampingTm'e'mber of one set 'coacts with a corresponding clamping member of the other set to form apair ofcla'mping'members for receiving-and gripping the end flanges 11 of a bar ll. Each clamping member is shown as comprisin'g'a'p'air of springy tongues 'or arms" 19 and 20; These-tongues 'extendfrom a ledge 21 provided in;the; bottom of th'e and modific'ationsin the appended claims.

be formed by any suitable means. 7 7 tion of the invention as shown, they are formed by ap-.

In the exemplifies V propriately bent-off strips secured to thebottom and the side wall "ofbox part 14 by any suitable meanssuch as soldering or 'rivetin' The coacting tongues 19 and 20. ma harmed by I U V g. However; they may alsozb'e pressed 'out of the material of;the'box.,

a single Uapiece or they may be'bent out of the material As appears from Figs. and' lth e e nd"ilailgesfil',

of the'control bars when inserted between the tongues rest upon ledges 21 therebylholdin'g the intermediate.

part of the control bar above thebaseof: bottom 14.

The space thus provided servesto accommodate the sensi-. tlve control'elements of the bars which downwardly protrude intothe said space when a bar is inserted between the tongues with its side bearing the identification strip 12 facing upwardly. As previously mentioned; the inner height of the box when closed is so that the side of the data bearing strip 12 is at a level veryclosely adjacent to or even in contact with the top wall of cover-lswhereby the bars are held in their positions in the; clamping means.

As appears from the previous description,ralhthe com trol bars when inserted in the. box present their iidnti 1 fying data to'the operator so that the .operator'fcan'irn- 7 medrately locate with one glance the desired barand lift "the same out of the box.

The box may be placed in any position withinstheicon- Preferablyji t' is placed ,upon'the rearward extension 10? of the'casingofthelmachine. This extension generally is sufliciently widefto venient reach'of the operator.

accommodate the box and permits placement-of theibox,

:" in a position very convenient to'the operator; a

' To anchor the box in its proper position "on the casing, fastening means are provided. -These fasteningme'ans are shown as two arms or brackets '25. They: arepreferably slightly springyand may endin "inwardly tur ned noses or hooks 2'5" which'underlie the machinecaeing whenvsnap ped in position; The' depending arms may be fixedly. secured to the box orhinged thereto, or asshpwn,

may extend through holes 26 in the base of jbox pfait 14 r and be secured by. wing nuts 21 or similar means extended 7 a o h e e he rm *iTh i l s .26" Q Q'i P t t'a lii t l fl i n of re' m ch n jpreferablywithsjight tensio'nx j '7 a p H The aforedescribed' retaining meansi I may' also; be

mounted 'directly'on the machine orin another'suitable location. i v v 7 While the in ention has been describedind ail with respect to a certain now preferredexample'andjembodL 7 ment of the invention itjwill be nnderstoodbyZtho se skilled in the art aftervundersta'ndingtheinventiqn, that various changes andimodifications m'ay be -made' without departing from the" spirit and lscope;of.-theinvention;

and it is intended, therefore, to'cofve'r'lall sucltjchanges What isclainiedjas new and,desireditobefsecnred by Letters Patentisz t' j I "I v l. A storage case, for business machine'jc'ohtrol ,bars of the *typehaving imam Tb'ody v portion with indicia on {one side for supporting larplurality .of longitudinally'spaced and transversely protruding; control; }elernei1ts fanidfhaving recessed flanged end portions; saidcase jcomprising 1 im h f scta 'i h *bb t nwwwith lmai v longitudinal and a mingirtransver'se-axis, a sidewall. a each n e iext em t f a d q em n l a sed n c ed t. Jone 's idn dewe -e fi id lste -movernent between, an "open andlafelosed position, an end wall at each longimdinalextremity of said'bottom apa a ledg'efcarried byjeach said endjwall in vertically paced paral e1 elatiens biw thsa d b ttom wallafi sable 'With the asing of 7 tance spaced above saidjbottomcwalljatleast.ehual 'to V 7 a the length of the transversely protruding eontrol elements;

the width of each 'saidledgein the'lo'ngitudinal direction ment therewith, and fastening means including clamping,

arms dependingtfromjhe bottom' of thebox and engageg V 'business,rnachinezof the kind described,1each Qofw said armsg compr'isingatsnbstantially straight centraljporticn,a perpendicularly outwardly ex tendingfflange lat one; end for securement to said bottom?w t id b mle reenttan i ok PQ fiiQn 'th opprjrv I site end extending in adirection opposite to the direc- V .tion of said flange 'andadefining an acute .angle with said centralportioni a j ''2. 'A'storage.Lease for business machine control bars' j. V of theitypje havingja main body portion with'indicia on V 7 e 7 i e f Q sl PHQI i a tvfit 3 l n d l spaced and transversely protruding control elements and having recessed flanged fend portions; fsaid case. compris ing a box"havin'g a rectangular:'bottoin partwith a majorl it d l a sand a m nor t, v e wists Side W at each transve se jextre'rnity of saidflbottom part, a cover,

' hingedly connected to one said: side wall of said box for;

spaced above saidbot tom 'wallat least-ge qualto 'thelength of the transversely protruding co'ntrol "elements; mamas; v 'f of each said.ledge in' the'longitudinal directionbfisaid bottom wall 'bein'g substantially equal 'to fthe length1of {f i e 7 said recessed flange endportions' ofithe barsfto Y a V 'the longitudinal distancefbetween theginner-edges' of f said ledges corresponding tothelength of 'themain body portion of said bars, aset of clamping Trneans; on? the: a upper surface of each;said"ledge each' setfof-clampidg means comprising a pair of substantially fla'tlwallgsur faces for slidably and uniformly contacting the opposite? parallel sides ,ofsaid'recessed ends of the control'barf:

in ;full fiat 'face; engagement therewith,' andfastening means including 'clamping-arrnsdepending from the bot V tomof the box and engageablerwiththe-casing of a busi- 'ness machine of the kind'describedi each of:s aidarms I comprising as substantially straight'eentralportioma pcr pendicularlyoutwardly-extending flange'at one end for i sectn'ernent to said bottom of saidbox, anda 'reentr'ant hook portion at the opposite end extending-in a direction.

7 'ge and defining an opposite to the direction ofsaidflan acute angle with saidfce'ntralportion References Cited file this patent 5 V UNTIED'STATESTPATENTS? Q E GN ATENY Great l3 itain i e....i Jan. 16,

- Nov. 5, 1912 

